Snare drum



Jan. 23, 1923'. 1,442, 33

W. E. SODDERBERG. SNARE RUM. FILED MAR; 28. 1922,

Patented Jan. 23, 1923.

WALTER E. SODERBEBG, OF DULUTH, MINNESOTA.

SNARE DRUM.

Application filed March 28, 1922. Serial No. 547,421.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WALTER E. Soonannnc,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Duluth, in the county of St.Louis and State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Snare Drums, of which the following is a specification,reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to snare attachments for drums the principalobject of which is to provide an improved form of such device having theadvantages of improvements in adjustability as well as improvements inresultant sound.

Another object is to produce such a snare attachment havin means forquickly and conveniently mu ing the sound of the attachment whendesired.

Other objects and advantages will appear in the further description ofthe invention.

Referring to the accompanying drawing forming part of this applicationin which like reference characters indicate like parts:

Figure 1 is a top lan view of a fragmental portion. of a rum head havingmy improved snare attachment applied thereto;

Figure 2 is a side elevation of Figure 1 partly in section;

Figure 3 is transverse section on the line 33, Figure 2; and

Figure 4 is an extreme end elevation of the snare attachment.

1 represents the body portion of a drum 36 and 2 the lower head thereofwhich may be of any common snare drum construction and my improved snareattachment comprises the two outwardly projecting brackets 3 and 4 whichare securely fastened in any desired manner to the exterior of theopposite walls of the body portion 1 of the drum. In the outerextremities of each of the brackets 3 and 1 are mounted two spaced screwthreaded adjusting and supporting bolts 5, each pair of which carry uponthe upper ends or heads thereof a U-shaped member 6 which is verticallyslotted as at '7 in its upturned ends, resulting in a bifurcated portionat either end thereof, the termini of which are turned outwardly atright angles as at S for a short distance only to form a keeper toprevent dislodgment of the shafts or bridge trunnions 9, one of which issupported within each member 6; the shafts being held in position bymeans of common nuts 10 on either end thereof beneath the laterallyturned projections 8.

11 represents the snare bridge which may be of any desired shape, thoughpreferably tapered and trussed from the centermost portion thereof tothe two ends, where it is forked as at 12, the ends of the forkedportions being carried upon the trunnions 9 within the members 6. Thebridge 11., thus supported, spans the head of the drum and is spacedtherefrom as clearly seen in Figure 2 of the drawings.

Upon the truunions 9 intermediate of the ends of each fork 12 areloosely mounted a plurality of sheaves 13. fitting closely against eachother and filling the entire space intermediate of the ends of the tinesof the forks. Intermediate of the tines of each. fork and inwardly inrespect to the sheaves 13 slightly above same, is supported a.cross-head, the transverse bar of which is indicated at let and the forkat 17 This cross-head is supported upon an externally screw threadedbolt 16 which is screw threaded within a boss like enlargement -37 justbelow the juncture of each fork 12 with the bridge. Imvardly of the fork15 and outside of the cross-bar 14L occurs the head 17 of the rod 16,said head having holes therein as indicated at 18 whereby a pin wrenchmay be applied and the head turned for adjustment of the cross head inor out, as is obvious. The cross bar 14 is made to extend at either endslightly beyond the inner walls of the tines of the fork 12 so that thecross head is guided thereby and prevented from turning either one wayor the other by the adjustment of the screw 16. Intermediate of thetines of each fork 15 is mounted a shaft 19 carrying a plurality ofsheaves 20 similar to the sheaves 13 and about these groups of sheavesat either end of the attachment the snare string 21 is reeved, one endof which is securely attached as at 22 inv one of the adjustable crossheads, and is passed outwardly over one of the sheaves 13 to and overthe head (In ill-J ot the drum around one of the. sheaves 13 at theopposite end of the attachment, to and around one of the sheaves 20,back again and around another sheave 13 in the same end of theattachment to and across the drum again, under and aroi'lud another ofthe sheaves 13 in the other end of the at tachment, ctcctera, until allof the sheaves are utilized in the complete reeving of the string whenthe other end is finally attached as at 23, opposite the end 22, and inthe same cross head.

Vi hen the snare is thus strung or reeved it is obvious that atightening of either or both cross-heads will correspondingly tightenthe snare string and the vibratory eiiect thereof will be thus governedas desired, and result in equal tension throughout the string transversethe head of the drum.

On the bracket 4: I have illustrated a horizontally elongatedenlargement or boss 24-. in which is pivotally mounted, upon the shaft25, the muffler cradle 26, it having a transverse bed member :2? whichengages and carries upwardly the strands of the snare string 21 when thecradle is turned to its UPPGIIIIOSQ position as illustrated in dottedlines in Figure 2. In this manner it is apparent that the strings may beraised from vibratory coaction with the head of the drum and the effectof the snare thus muffled, whereas when the muffler cradle is in itslowermost position as shown in Figure 2 it is out 01 action recliningupon the bracket t and held there by means of a suitable resilient clipor spring 28 From the foregoing it is evident that I have devised asimple, efficient and practical snare attachment i 01 drums which is ofpleasing appearance and has means for ready and convenient adjustment asto the normal relation of the snare strings to the head of the drum byadjustment of the nuts 80 upon the screws 5, and one having a convenientand simple muiiler attachment cooperatively associated therewith, theadvantages of which to a musician are obvious.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patents, is:

1. A snare for drums comprising laterally projecting brackets attachedto the sides of the drum adjacent one end thereof, a bridge spanning thehead of the drum and supported upon the brackets, a plurality of strainsof snare strings passing over the head of the drum and supported at theends ot-the bridge'means at the ends of the bridge for automaticallymaintaining. an equal tension upon all of the strands of the snarestring, means foradjusting said antomatic equalizing means, and means ateither end for raising and slowering the strands ofthe string bodily inrespect to the head of the drum. j a

Q. A snare for drumscomprising laterally projecting brackets attached tothe sides of the drum adjacent one end thereof, a bridge spanning thehead of the drum and supported upon the brackets, a plurality of strandsof share strings passing over the head of the drum and supported at theends of the bridge, means at the ends of the bridge for automaticallymaintaining an equal tension upon all of the strands of the snarestring, means for adjusting said automatic equalizing means, means ateither end tor raising and lowering the strands of the string bodily inrespect to the head of the drum, and muffling means carried by one ofthe brackets for raising or lowering one end of all of the strands ofthe string sii ;ii'dta11eoiisl y.

in testlmony whereof I hereunto a'flix my signature in the presence 01two Witnesses.

WALTER- E. SODERBEBG.

